Muffler cut-out



June 10, 1924. 1,497,572

J. V. LOEFFLER MUFFLER CUTOUT FiledSep'c. 30. 2

Patented June 10, 1924..

UNITED STATES JOHN v. LOIEFFLER, or EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

MUFFLER CUT-OUT.

Application filed September 20, 1922. Serial No. 591,596.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN V. LonFrLEn, citizen of the United States, residing at Evansville, in the county of Vanderburg and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Muffler Cut-Outs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates in general to means for controlling the fiow of fluid from a conduit through either of a plurality of branches. It more particularly concerns a so-called cut-out device for diverting, at will, exhaust gases, flowing in the exhaust pipe leading from an internal combustion engine, either through a muffler to the outer air or directly to the outer air without passing through amufiler. 1

An object is to direct the exhaust in a perfectly straight course to the outer air when the cut-out is open, thereby eliminating the back pressure caused by obstructions and crooked courses; another object is to simplify, strengthen and cheapen devices of this character.

The invention consists in the combination and details of structure more specifically de scribed hereinafter, delineated in the drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views, I have illustrated one preferred embodiment of my invention of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 a view, in plan, of the device below the section line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of a section cut on the line 33 of Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. a a side elevation of a detail of the gate valve actuator separated from the rest of the device; I 1

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a detachable pedal member;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the pedal member;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the gate valve detached;

Fig. 8 is a plan .viewof detached.

In the drawings, 1 indicates what is here termed a valve body, and comprises a holthe gate valve low pipe fitting having one inlet port 1* A cotter pin 2* orother fastener may be applied to the threaded end of said bolt to I retain the gate 3 against its seat. The outlet opening 1 is at one end of a substantlally straight passage leading to it from the inlet port 1 and the valve seat is a plane and smooth surface 26,preferably machined or ground,so that the corresponding,-also machined or ground,face 26 of the gate valve 3 may have a tight fit therewith. The plane of the valve seat and co-engaging face of the gate valve cuts the axis of the passage leading to outlet port 1 from inlet port 1*, obliquely, making, with the side of the passage nearest the hinge of the valve, an obtuse internal angle for a purpose that will hereinafter be revealed. Overhanging the valve seat at the side opposite the pivotal connection of the gate valve there may be a lip 20 adapted to engage over the free end of the gate valve, and preferably over a projection 3 thereon, for the purpose of holding the gate valve against the seat when acted on by the pressure of the exhaust gas tending to push it away.

For the purpose of controlling the position of the gate valve at the will of the driver a manual actuating device of simple construction is provided. In the illustrated embodiment the actuating device is so disposed that the valve may be opened bythe pressure of the foot of the driver of a car, and may be automatically closed upon relief of that pressure. The actuating device shown comprises a slidable actuator, a guide therefor, a member on the gate valve engaged by the actuator, and a spring for closing the gate and restoring the actuator to normal position.

The guide member 4 comprises a flat elongated body 4: seated in a gain l formed in the face of lug ,2 at one side of the pivot pin 2* and occupying in theintended use an upright position. Member 4 may be secured in place by a bolt 4 passed through it and the lug. At each end member 4 is provided with ofisetslide bearings which comprise separate ears 5 and 5 at each end, the spaces between said two sets of cars being in. registration or substantial axial alineof tlie upper portion of the actuator for ament and serving. as guide bearings: for the upright actuator. Before assemblage of guide and actuator the ears project in substantial parallel relation. to permit the actuator tobe moved laterally into position between them. ,Thereafter the ends of one or both of each pair of cars, (which are preferably composed of ductile metal) may be bent so as to embrace and confine the actuatorin such manner that, while permitting an up and down slidablemovement ofthe actuator the: actuator not be removed laterally from theslide" bearings. The

, upper slidebearing, formed: in part by lugs 5 and bfi is made't'o fit the actuator somewhat more looselythan the lower bearingin order'to allbw 'a limited lateral movement purpose to be presently explaineda 7 The actuator 6 consists of a longitudinal member" guidedby the described guide bearing s of the guide member 45-. Said actuator ice-provided with a transverse slot, which may be open ended and formed between parallel lugs or lingers 1 11,. projecting from one side thereof. Upon the pivoted gate valve 3 there is a pin 3* disposed in suitable position to. enter the slot between the fingers 11 on the actuator. VVhen the actuator is moved' upor down the gate 3 is closed or opened. itsupper end the actuator 6=is provided with a detachable and tia-lly' corresponding form.

adjustable button or head 7, preferably so if ormed as; toconstitute a pedal member adapted to be conveniently engaged by the foot of the driver wli'ereby'the actuator may be depressed and? the-gate valve opened. The buttonor pedal- T'mayhave parallel arms 8 8 depending from its under side, between which fits a rib 6 on one side of the upper'endf'of actuator 6 when-thepedal is gages in corresponding openingsin the slide bearings. The fingers 11; hitherto mentioned; engage the pin 3"; and a catch tooth 9; with; suitable notch above it, engages underthe upper slide bearing; (as under bent h1g5) whereby the actuator may be locked in lowered position.- The said engagement, or interlock, between the actuator upper bea-ring is permitted by the rela- I tively 'lbose fit ofthe actuator inthe upper bearing as compared with the relatively snug fit thereof in thelower bear-in'g, there being, of course, sufiicient ease of fit be tween the lower bearing and the part of the actuator sliding in it to allow the actuator to rock on the lower hearing as a fnl clum. The actuator tends to assume its uppermost position by reason of the elastic force of a spring, such as 12, which may have one end attached to the lug or car of the upper slide bearing on guide member 4 and the other end attached to a )rojection 10 on the actuator, the force of t e spring being applied in such manner as to cause the upper end of the actuator to bear toward the curved lug 5 so that the locking tooth 9 will engage under it when the actuator is depressed to completely open the gate valve, thereby locking the gate valve 3 open. A small lateral movement of the upper end of the actuator away form the curved lug 5 releases the lock, whereupon relief of pressure from pedal 7 allows the actuator to resume its normal position and the gate valve to close. Any suitable stop device may be applied to limit the opening and closing movements of the valve. The opening movement may, for example, be limited by engagement of projection 1.0 with the lower slide bearing, and the closing movement may be limited by the upper linger l1 engaging under the upper slide bearing.

Vi hen the improved cut-out is used on a motor vehicle the discharge end of an exhaust pipe section 1? is fitted into the inlet port 1 of the body or casing 1, and the inlet cnd' of a'section 14 leading to a. niuiiier (not shown) is fittedinto theoutlet port 1". The ends of said sections may be secured to the bodfv or casing 1 by any appropriate device such as set screws 13 and 1.4". The port 1 as stated before, is so relatedto the inletport 1 that the passage through pipe section 13 to port 1" is straight. The port 1 is offset from the axis of the straight passage between ports 1 and'l and the passage in the body or casing 1 loading from port 1 to port 1" is oblique, or curved. horizontally. Should, now, the gate valve 3 be opened during the operationot' the engine with which the device is-associated, the exhaust gases flow along the direction of least resistance i 7 in a position convenient to the drivers foot. The construction is strong and simple. The actuator is asimple sliding mem,

llil) ber directly connected to the gate valve, thus obviating links, levers and complicated transmission devices. The smooth faced external gate valve is unlikely to bind or jam, and provides, withal, a sufficiently tight fit to prevent escape of gas when it is closed. It is subjected to the impact of the hot gases only in the closed position and is moved entirely out of the path of the gases when open to cut out the muffler.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A mufller cut-out comprising a body having an inlet and two outlet ports, a substantially straight passage between the inlet and one of said outlet ports, an oblique passage leading to the other outlet port, said outlet port at the end of the straight passage having a valve seat oblique to the axis of said straight passage, and a valve which,

when closed, constitutes a portion of the wall of said oblique passage.

2. A muii'ier cut out comprising a body having an inlet and two outlet ports, a substantially straight passage between. the inlet and one of said outlet ports, an oblique passage leading to the other outlet port, said outlet port at the end of said straight passage having a plane exterior seat oblique to the axis of said straight passage, and a gate valve slidable on said seat; said gate valve, when closed, constituting a portion of the wall of said oblique passage.

SQA muflier cut-out comprising a body having an inlet and two outlet ports, a substantially straight passage between the inlet and one of said outlet ports, an oblique passage leading to the other outlet port, said outlet port at the end of said straight passage having a plane exterior seat oblique to the axis of said straight passage, and a pivoted gate valve slidable over said seat; said gate valve when closed constituting a portion of the wall of said oblique passage.

at. In an exhaust conduit for internal combustion engines, a body having an inlet and two outlet ports, a substantially straight passage between the inlet and one of said outlet ports, an oblique passage leading to the other outlet port; a pivot supporting lug, a plane exterior seat surrounding the outlet port at the end of the straight passage and extending over the face of said lug, said plane seat being oblique to the axis of said strai ht passage; and a gate valve pivoted on said lug and slidable on said seat; said valve, when closed, constituting a portion of the wall of said oblique passage.

5. In an exhaust conduit for internal combustion engines, a body having an inlet and two outlet ports, a substantially straight passage between the inlet and one of said outlet ports, an oblique passage leading to the other outlet port; a pivot supporting lug, a plane exterior seat surrounding the outlet port at the end of said straight passage and extending over the face of the lug, said plane seat being oblique to the axis of said straight passage; a gate valve pivoted in said lug and slidable in said seat, a lip on the body adapted to hold the free end of the valve to the seat; said valve, when closed, constituting a portion of the wall of said oblique passage.

6. In an exhaust conduit'having a mufiler cut-out port; a pivoted gate valve for opening and closing said port; an upright barlike actuator therefor; a pin on the valve; parallel fingers on the actuator between which said pin is engaged; a slide bearing above and below said fingers, and a spring connected to the upper bearing and to said actuator tending to close the valve.

7 In an exhaust conduit having a muffler cut-out port; a pivoted gate valve for opening and closing'said port; an upright barlike actuator therefor having a transverse slot; a pin on the valve engaging in said slot; a slide bearing above and below said slot, the upper bearing engaging the actuator loosely; a tooth on the actuator adapted to engage beneath the upper bearing; a lug on the-actuator on the side opposite the tooth; a tension spring having one end attached to the upper bearing and its other end to the lug on the actuator in such position as to exert its force to lift the actuator and valve and force the toothed side of the upper portion of the actuator to press against the upper slide bearing.

8. In an exhaust conduit having a muflier cut-out port; a valve for opening and closing said port; a bar-like actuator therefor; a guide for the actuator having a slide bearing adapted to admit the actuator laterally, said slide bearing comprising lugs one at least of which is ductile and curved to confine the actuator in the slide bearing.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN V. LOEFFLER. 

